ECE 144

Electromagnetic Fields and Waves

Bob York

General Waveguide Theory

Basic Equations Consider wave propagation along the z-axis, with elds varying in time and distance according to e(tz) . The propagation constant gives us much information about the character of the waves. We will assume that the elds propagating in a waveguide along the z-axis have no other variation with z, that is, the transverse elds do not change shape (other than in magnitude and phase) as the wave propagates. Maxwells curl equations in a source-free region ( = 0 and J = 0) can be combined to give the wave equations, or in terms of phasors, the Helmholtz equations: where k = . In rectangular or cylindrical coordinates, the vector Laplacian can be broken into two parts 2E 2 E = 2 E + t z 2 so that with the assumed ez dependence we get the wave equations 2 E + ( 2 + k 2 )E = 0 t E Ez + Ey y Ez Ex x Ex Ey x y 1 + k2 = H = Hx = Hy = Hz 2 H + ( 2 + k 2 )H = 0 t H Hz + Hy y Hz Hx x Hx Hy x y = E = Ex = Ey = Ez 2 E + k 2 E = 0 2 H + k 2 H = 0

Substituting the e(tz) into Maxwells curl equations separately gives (for rectangular coordinates)

These can be rearranged to express all of the transverse eld components in terms of Ez and Hz , giving Ex = Ey = 2 Ez Hz + x y Ez Hz + y x Hx = Ez 1 Hz 2 +k y x Ez 1 Hz Hy = 2 + 2 +k x y 2

1 + k2

For propagating waves, = , where is a real number provided there is no loss. Rewriting the above for 2 propagating waves, and using the substitution kc 2 + k 2 , gives Ex = Ey = 2 kc Ez Hz + x y Ez Hz + y x Hx = 2 kc 2 kc Ez Hz y x Ez Hz + x y

2 kc

Hy =

The analytic procedure for nding waveguide elds and propagation constants is to solve the wave equations for the z-components of the elds, subject to the boundary conditions for the waveguide, and then nd the transverse eld components from the above.

Mode Classification In uniform waveguides it is common to classify the various wave solutions found from the previous analysis into the following types: TEM waves: waves with no electric or magnetic eld in the direction of propagation (Hz = Ez = 0). Plane waves and transmission-line waves are common examples. TM waves: waves with an electric eld but no magnetic eld in the direction of propagation (Hz = 0, Ez = 0). These are sometimes referred to as E waves. TE waves: waves with a magnetic eld but no electric eld in the direction of propagation (Hz = 0, Ez = 0). These are sometimes referred to as H waves. Hybrid waves: Sometimes the boundary conditions require all eld components. These waves can be considered as a coupling of TE and TM modes by the boundary. Note that these are not the only way to categorize the dierent wave solutions, but have been standardized by long usage. Mode Impedances, Propagation Constants, and Cutoff Frequencies The various types of wave solutions have many common features, regardless of the shape of the waveguiding 2 structure. Examining the propagation constant = kc k 2 we see that for some frequencies it is imaginary ( = ), corresponding to propagating waves, and for others it is real ( = ), corresponding to exponentially decaying, or evanescent elds. The dividing line is at a frequency known as the cuto frequency, given by kc fc = cuto frequency 2 we can write the propagation constant in terms of fc as follows = = k 1 (fc /f )2 = kc 1 (f /fc )2 f > fc f < fc

Thus above the cuto frequency, waves can propagate. Note from the eld expression derived previously that TEM waves can only have non-zero elds if 2 + k 2 = 0, or = k = . In this case, kc = 0, hence TEM waves have no cuto frequency. From our expressions for the transverse eld components we can also dene wave impedances for the various modes. The wave impedance concept is important because it allows us to relate the E and H elds through the simple relationship H = z E/Z, thus unifying the presentation of electromagnetic waves. And from a practical standpoint the wave impedance allows us to use transmission-line theory to describe non-TEM waveguide circuits. Mode TEM TM TE k k Propagation Constant, k= 1 (fc /f )2 1 (fc /f )2 Guide Wavelength, g = 1/f 1 (fc /f )2 1 (fc /f )2 Wave Impedance, Z = /

= 1 (fc /f )2 = 1 (fc /f )2

Below cuto the wave impedance is imaginary, indicating that there is no net transfer of power. Since the propagation constants and wave impedances for non-TEM modes are nonlinear functions of frequency, such modes are dispersive.